A spokesperson for GameStop has confirmed that as of June 1st of this year that GameStop will no longer be accepting trade-ins for PS2 consoles, accessories, and games. They will still be selling their current collection of PS2 hardware and content in their store and on their websites for as long as stock from previous trade-ins remain. This is clearly a move aimed at making room for the trade-ins that will come from PS3 users as we get closer and closer to the release of the highly anticipated Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4).

This is big news, Sony announced today that it will acquire Gaikai the online streaming game service for $380 million. The deal officially did close on June 30th, Sony plans to disrupt the gaming force with this purchase.

This acquisition means that partnerships with Samsung, LG, Walmart, and others may be on the horizon for Sony as well. Gaikai has been working on their relationships with manufacturers like Samsung to include their streaming games app onto the TV sets. With the acquisition of Gaikai I can see Sony offering streaming games on their PlayStation console or future generation consoles they may release. This move by Sony is in direct competition with Microsofts Xbox Live service which does not currently have a live game streaming service. However Onlive could be targeted by the giant.

Due to a new law going into effect in South Korea on July 1st, Sony will need to take down the PlayStation Store to comply. The new law is called the “Game Industry Promotion Act” which makes it illegal for online services to ask someone who is under the age of 18 to verify their account with their real name and age. Now Sony will eventually bring the store back online in South Korea after they come into compliance with the new law. Sony will continue service in the area later in the year with no promised dates on when that will happen.

Having been a Hayao Miyazaki fan for a significant portion of my life, I was only too happy to jump at the opportunity when I was offered an interview with Bandai-Namco to go over their upcoming game collaboration Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, done in conjunction with Studio Ghibli. I also got to play it for a brief interlude on the showroom floor at the PlayStation booth. The graphics, while “cartoon” like in aesthetic, are breathtaking in quality. It was like being able to control the characters while watching one of Miyazaki’s films.

Sony’s PlayStation Vita is a console that has been received with many mixed feelings. After a weak start in Japan, the sales took a sharp drop, and there wasn’t much about the North American sales to redeem it. It has a gorgeous screen and a pretty solid lineup as far as games are concerned, but abysmal battery life and an exorbitant price tag. I pre-ordered the “First Edition Bundle” and received it a week early. From what I have played so far I enjoyed it for a little while, but I lost interest fairly quickly.